Westerville365 Summer 2015

SUMMER 2015

LABOR OF LOVE Archie Griffin reflects on football, his career at Ohio State and what lies ahead

Business Boom Catching up with Jim McCann Back to School Westerville365.com

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CONTENTS

Summer 2015 12 Homegrown Hero Though he’s stepped down from his fulltime job at Ohio State, Archie Griffin is still the university’s No. 1 fan.

ON THE COVER Photo by Ryan M.L. Young

18 Back to School Educators offer advice about heading back to class, for firsttimers and older students alike.

28 Historic Handiwork Small changes have brought big improvements to the way library patrons view and research local lore.

31 Taking the Stage Otterbein’s new theater director has drawn rave reviews since leaving the Big Apple for Westerville.

34 Lasting Legacy Twelve years into retirement, Jim McCann keeps busy giving back to the community he loves. But he’s still a Warrior at heart.

Westerville365 | Summer 2015

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40 Outtakes A look at some notable Archie Griffin moments

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7801 N. Central Drive Lewis Center, OH 43035 740-888-6000 • Fax: 740-888-6001 Westerville365.com Volume 1 • Number 2 PUBLISHER Roy Biondi EDITORIAL Editor: Julanne Hohbach Contributors: Lee Cochran, Steph Greegor, Andrew King, Joe Meyer, Jennifer Noblit, Lisa Proctor and Dave Purpura PHOTOGRAPHY Chief Photographer: Joshua A. Bickel Contributors: Lorrie Cecil, Chris Parker and Ryan M.L. Young DESIGN/PRODUCTION Production Manager: Rebecca Zimmer Design: Annie Steel Web Producer: Scott Hummel ADVERTISING Director: Doug Dixon Retail Manager: Heather Kritter Classified Manager: Terri Tribbie Account Executives: Brendon Byers Chris McMillen Marketing & Promotions: Annie Steel CIRCULATION Home Delivery & Business Distribution Customer Service: 888-837-4342 Retail advertising: 614-583-5793 advertising@westerville365.com Classified advertising: 614-785-1200 Editorial: 740-888-6000 editorial@westerville365.com Westerville365 is published quarterly by ThisWeek Community News with Sunday distribution by Consumer News Services Inc., a subsidiary of GateHouse Media Inc. Consumer News Services Inc. reserves the right to reject, cancel or edit any advertisement at any time. If we make a substantiative error in news coverage, we want to correct it. If you believe an error has been made, call 740-888-6000. CNS is not responsible for unsolicited photographs, manuscripts, press releases, etc. © Copyright 2015, GateHouse Media Inc.

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Griffin Ready to Start New Chapter

By Julanne Hohbach

F

aithful members of Buckeye Nation need no introduction to this month’s cover subject.

Perhaps the most beloved player ever to don an Ohio State University football uniform, Archie Griffin is arguably more popular now than he was in his playing days in the mid-1970s.

Thirty-nine years after graduating from OSU with a degree in industrial relations, the two-time Heisman Trophy winner draws a crowd wherever he goes, yet handles the spotlight with grace, charm and an ever-present wide smile. His patience and generosity with his time are the stuff of local legend, especially in an age where many former professional athletes sport egos the size of their salaries.

After wrapping up our photo shoot at the Les Wexner Football Complex, Griffin was heading out the door when a father and son entered the lobby. The father asked a favor: Would Griffin mind posing for a photo with his son? No doubt that chance encounter is something the family will talk about for a lifetime.

This Week Community News sportswriter Dave Purpura sat down with Griffin at the Longaberger Alumni House a few weeks before he stepped down as president and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association, a job he’d held since 2004.

Griffin reflected on his playing days, his more than three decades of full-time employment at his alma mater and his new part-time job as a senior adviser in the Office of Advancement, where part of his responsibilities will include fundraising.

Read more about Griffin (did you know he has a penchant for fried pickles?) in “Homegrown Hero,” starting on page 12. You’ll also find additional photos on this month’s Outtakes page, as well as bonus video and photo content on our website.

The Summer issue also has advice for something that’s on every parent’s mind right now: getting the kids ready to head back to school. There’s also a look at the newly renovated Anti-Saloon League Museum and Local History Center, Otterbein University’s new theater director and more.

Don’t forget to visit Westerville365.com for online exclusives, our continually updated calendar of local events and more.

Thanks for reading.

Westerville: 444 North Cleveland Ave. Ste. 210 Westerville, Ohio 43082 Dublin: 4335 W. Dublin-Granville Road Dublin, Ohio 43017

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Summer 2015 | Westerville365

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Upcoming

To submit an item for the calendar, go to Westerville365.com. All events will run online and select listings also will appear in the magazine.

Events

AUGUST

Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Saturday Uptown Market Fresh produce, artisan wares and more.

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. North State and East Home streets. facebook.com/ saturdayuptownmarketllc Aug. 1, 2 Seussical The Westerville Parks and Recreation Department and Otterbein University will stage the Westerville Civic Theatre production at 7 p.m. Aug. 1 and 2 p.m.

Aug. 2. Westerville Central High School, 7118 Mount Royal Ave. Tickets are $10 at the Westerville Community Center. westerville.org Aug. 5, 12, 19, 26 Uptown Westerville Farmers’ Market Seasonal produce, plants, flowers, baked goods and more. 3-6 p.m.

Church of the Messiah parking lot, North State and East Home streets. marketwednesday.com Aug. 5 Family Concert Series Storytelling with Candace. 6:30 p.m.

Amphitheater at Alum Creek Park North, 221 W. Main St. Free. westerville.org Aug. 7, 14, 21 Uptown Friday Nights Shop late at participating merchants and enjoy activities and music. shopuptownwesterville.com Aug. 7, 8, 14, 20 Amphitheater Entertainment The summer lineup concludes with the Westerville Parks and Recreation Theater Camp production of Alice in Wonderland Aug. 7, the Community Band Festival Aug. 8, High School Band Jam Aug. 14 and an illusionist performance Aug. 20. 6:30 p.m., except 6 p.m. Aug. 14. Amphitheater at Alum Creek Park North, 221 W. Main St. Free. westerville.org

Aug. 2, 9 Sounds of Summer Series The weekly concert series concludes with Lords of Literature Aug. 2 and the Westerville Symphony Aug. 9. 6:30 p.m. Amphitheater at Alum Creek Park North, 221 W. Main St. Free. westerville.org FILE/ERIC GEORGE

Aug. 8 Fifth Anniversary Luau Party Activities include games, face painting, water balloon toss, hula hoop competition and inflatable obstacle course. 1-8 p.m. Highlands Park Aquatic Center, 245 S. Spring Road. Free for passholders, $5.50 for residents, $8.25 for nonresidents. westerville.org Aug. 8 Community Concert Bands and Arts Festival The Arts Council of Westerville and local community bands and artists will gather for music, arts and food. Noon to 8 p.m.

Amphitheater at Alum Creek Park North, 221 W. Main St. westervillearts.net Aug. 16 Hanby House Kitchen Garden’s 10th Anniversary Celebration Celebrate the milestone of the garden, installed and maintained by the Westerville Garden Club. Take a tour and learn about herbs and plants used in the 1860s. 1-4 p.m. Hanby House, 160 W. Main St. Free. hanbyhouse.org Aug. 20 Business After Hours Sponsored by the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce. 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Heartland Bank, 450 S. State St. Free for

chamber members, $5 for nonmembers. westervillechamber.com Aug. 21 Classic Movie Series Beethoven. Movie begins at dusk.

Everal Barn at Heritage Park, 60 N. Cleveland Ave. Free. westerville.org Aug. 22 Community Service Plunge Volunteers will help remove invasive plant species. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Alum Creek Greenway Trail along the west bank, south of Main Street near the dam. friendsofalumcreek.org Aug. 28 4th Friday – Dog Days of Summer Mount Carmel St. Ann’s 4th Fridays, sponsored by the Westerville Visitors & Convention Bureau, include vendors, live entertainment, children’s activities and Artists Alley. 6-9 p.m. Uptown Westerville. visitwesterville.org Aug. 30 Kids Try Athlon The event for ages 7-12 includes a 100-meter swim, one-mile bike ride and quarter-mile run. Divisions are ages 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and a parent/child division.

10 a.m. Highlands Park Aquatic Center, 245 S. Spring Road. $5. westerville.org Westerville365 | Summer 2015

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SEPTEMBER Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Uptown Westerville Farmers’ Market Seasonal produce, plants, flowers, baked goods and more. 3-6 p.m.

Church of the Messiah parking lot, North State and East Home streets. marketwednesday.com Sept. 3 Art reception Otterbein University will host a reception for Circuitous Routes: The Dresden Series, 1998 – 2015. 4-7 p.m.

Leslie H. and Ethyl Rose Miller Gallery, Art and Communication Building, 33 Collegeview Road. Free. otterbein.edu Sept. 4, 11, 18 Uptown Friday Nights Shop late at participating merchants and enjoy activities and music. shopuptownwesterville.com Sept. 7 Doggie Paddle A special swim time for dogs, all of which must have license and immunizations. 4:30-5:30 p.m. (dogs under 50 pounds) and 5:30-7:30 p.m. (all dogs). Highlands Park Aquatic Center, 245 S. Spring Road. $5 per dog.

Sept. 8 Quarterly Membership Luncheon The Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce event will feature Marc Hawk, president of RevLocal.

Registration and networking from 11-11:35 a.m., lunch at 11:45 a.m., followed by the speaker. Embassy Suites Hotel, 2700 Corporate Exchange Drive. $25 for chamber members, $35 for nonmembers.

Registration deadline is Sept. 4. westervillechamber.com

Sept. 13 Cops & Kids Day Children of all ages can interact with officers and see, touch and learn about helicopters, cruisers, K-9 units, mounted patrols, S.W.A.T., bike patrol and D.A.R.E. 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Hoff Woods Park, 556 McCorkle Blvd. Free.

614-901-6893 or westerville.org Sept. 13 The Great Westerville Food Truck Fest 2015 Purchase and enjoy food truck fare while learning about local hunger issues and packaging meals to be distributed in Westerville. Children’s activities also will be offered.

Proceeds benefit the Westerville Area Resource Ministry. Noon to 7 p.m. Nationwide Children’s Hospital Close to Home Center, 455 Executive Campus Drive. Free. facebook.com/ thegreatwestervillefoodtruckfest Sept. 17 Business After Hours Sponsored by the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Heartland of Uptown Westerville, 140 Old County Line Road. Free for chamber members, $5 for nonmembers. westervillechamber.com Sept. 18 Art reception Otterbein University will host a reception for Narratives & Storytelling: Ohio Art League’s Second Annual Student Juried Exhibition. 4-7 p.m.

Fisher Gallery, Roush Hall (first and second floors), 27 S. Grove St. Free. otterbein.edu Sept. 24 Art reception Otterbein University will host a

FILE/LORRIE CECIL

Sept. 11 9/11 Observance 11:30 a.m. First Responders Park, 374 W. Main St. reception for Te Busco: Poetic and Visual Collaborations of Pablo Neruda, Nemesio Antúnez, and Roser Bru. 4-6 p.m. The Frank Museum of Art, 39 S. Vine St. Free. otterbein.edu Sept. 25 4th Friday - Fall Fest Mount Carmel St. Ann’s 4th Fridays, sponsored by the Westerville Visitors & Convention Bureau, include vendors, live entertainment, children’s activities and Artists Alley. 6-9 p.m. Uptown Westerville. visitwesterville.org Sept. 26 Homecoming Homecoming activities for Otterbein University. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Otterbein campus. Football game against Wilmington College, 2 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. otterbein.edu

OCTOBER Oct. 4 Ned Moser Apple Butter Festival Sponsored by the Westerville Lions Club, the event will include demonstrations of making apple butter over a campfire and using an apple cider press. Log cabin will be open.

1-5 p.m. McVay Elementary School, 270 S. Hempstead Road. Admission is free. Apple butter and pulled pork dinners will be available for purchase. westervillelions.org 8

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28 Uptown Westerville Farmers’ Market Seasonal produce, plants, flowers, baked goods and more. 3-6 p.m.

Church of the Messiah parking lot, North State and East Home streets. marketwednesday.com Oct. 11 PNC Presents: Gavin George - Live on Your Screen This interactive event lets patrons

experience symphonic music while providing easy access to the concert material through technology. Gavin George of Newark will perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s first piano concerto, which will be streamed live on the Internet. People in and out of the concert hall can participate in a live Twitter listening guide. 5 p.m. Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, Otterbein University, 30 S. Grove St. $25. westervillesymphony.org

Oct. 14 Women in Business Luncheon The Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Women in Politics panel with state Rep. Anne Gonzales (R-Westerville), Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks and former Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery. Registration and networking 11 a.m., luncheon 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mount Carmel St. Ann’s, 500 S. Cleveland Ave. $25 for chamber members, $35 for nonmembers. westervillechamber.com Oct. 23 Art reception Otterbein University will host a reception for Kirk Mangus: Things Love. 4-7 p.m. Leslie H. and Ethyl Rose Miller Gallery, Art and Communication Building, 33 Collegeview Road. Free. otterbein.edu Oct. 23 Art reception Otterbein University will host a reception for The Space Between: Kirk Mangus, Eva Kwong, and Art Inspired.

4-7 p.m. Fisher Gallery, Roush Hall (first and second floors), 27 S. Grove St. Free. otterbein.edu Oct. 23 Art reception Otterbein University will host a reception for Eva Kwong: Love Between The Atoms. 4-7 p.m. The Frank Museum of Art, 39 S. Vine St. Free. otterbein.edu

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Oct. 23 Midnight Madness Trick-or-treating will be on the agenda, as will free wagon rides, music, entertainment and familyfriendly Halloween activities. 6 p.m. to midnight. Uptown Westerville. shopuptownwesterville.com Oct. 24 Make a Difference Day Volunteers will help the Westerville Parks and Recreation Department, Friends of Alum Creek & Tributaries, MAD Scientist LLC and the Sierra Club Central Ohio with planting projects and removing invasive honeysuckle and shrub species. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Boyer Nature Preserve, 452 E. Park St. 614-901-6590

Sources: city of Westerville, Otterbein University, Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce, Westerville Public Library, Westerville Visitors & Convention Bureau Westerville365 | Summer 2015

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Around Town

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Market Wednesday PHOTOS BY Ryan M.L. Young The Uptown Westerville Farmers’ Market attracted a variety of visitors and vendors July 1.

1 Kaitlin Emmerling, Grant Emmerling, Lisa Emmerling and Ava Emmerling 2 Becci Shields and Jennifer Bell 3 Brenda Fawcett, Sue Karst, Marilyn Burkhart and Janet Leingang 4 Angela Bowman of Sugar B Bakery and Stephanie Kennedy of Kokoborrego Cheese Co. 5 Amy Villwock and Cameron Villwock 6 Lee Bird and Lindsey Bird of Bird’s Haven Farms

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Fab Fourth

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PHOTOS BY LORRIE CECIL Residents showed their patriotism at the Westerville Fourth of July Parade.

1 Corrynn Osborne, Brian Osborne, Heather Ahrns and Mary Lou Carder 2 Morgan Cardoso, 14, and Joy Knapp 3 Elaine Wisler, 5, Macy Crider, 5, Madison Cafarella, 2, and Allison Wisler, 2 4 Rose Neideffer, 4, and her parents, Jesse and Jen 5 Walter Kimball, who turned 100 June 26, and his daughter Jane Pore 6 Megan Moore and her daughter Jacey, 4, with their bulldog, Major

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Homegrown

Hero Though he’s stepped down from his full-time job at Ohio State, Archie Griffin is still the university’s No. 1 fan.

By Dave Purpura PHOTOS BY RYAN M.L. YOUNG

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Summer 2015 | Westerville365

FILE/KEN CHAMBERLAIN, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

In October 1985, Ohio State’s four Heisman Trophy winners were at the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow to be honored by the SiU Fraternity in connection with homecoming weekend. From left are: Les Horvath (1944), Griffin (1974 and 1975), Howard “Hopalong” Cassady (1955) and Vic Janowicz (1950).

“People say wherever you go, you will find Ohio State people, and they are right. Wherever you go, you will find Ohio State people.

I have traveled the world and always found that to be true.”

Archie Griffin

A

rchie Griffin’s love for Ohio State University is beyond question—even for him.

That’s just one reason why Griffin, the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner in college football history, doesn’t think about all the time he spent on the job as president and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association. The Genoa Township resident announced April 28 he would step down and move into a part-time role at his alma mater.

In an early June interview, three weeks before the move, Griffin reflected on his 11½ years as the Buckeyes’ biggest booster and most visible alumnus. Asked if he ponders how many hours per week he’s on the clock, Griffin eases back in a chair in a conference room at the Longaberger Alumni House and chuckles. “No, and I don’t want to put a number on it,” he says. “If I do put a number on it, I will say ‘Geez, what were you doing?’ ” Lest that come off sounding like a complaint, Griffin is quick to clarify. “It is a labor of love,” he says, “when you think about working for the university—a university that you love, a university you have spent a lot of time around, a university that has been great to me.

“I was born right here at Ohio State. I didn’t fall far from the tree. My life has been about Ohio State. I feel really good about the fact that I have had 31 great years at this university as an employee, but then with the time where I was a student-athlete, I have had over four decades here.”

Perhaps that’s why when he left the alumni association, he didn’t go far. On July 1, Griffin became a senior adviser in the Office of Advancement, where he plans to work part time—about 20 hours a week—and continue serving as an ambassador for the school.

Just don’t call it a retirement.

Although Griffin’s new office is on Lane Avenue in Upper Arlington instead of in the alumni house on Olentangy River Road, he’s not far away— something for which those who know him are thankful.

“Maybe the best thing I can say about him is he’s a real dude,” says Jay Hansen, who started as director of communications for the alumni association in 2005 before transitioning into a new role as OSU’s director of publications, and often has served as a speechwriter for Griffin.

“What you think he’s like, that’s how he is. There’s nothing fake about him.”

Can’t get enough Archie?

Turn to page 40 for more photos of the Buckeye legend.

Check out Westerville365.com for an online slideshow and a video.

Westerville365 | Summer 2015

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FILE/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

LEFT: Griffin in his playing days.

RIGHT: Griffin gave the commencement address and also handed his son Adam his diploma at the Ohio State University commencement held May 10, 2015, at Ohio Stadium.

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A Scarlet and Gray Life Griffin approached his time at the alumni association with the same zest he brought to his role as a running back, first at Eastmoor High School, then four years at Ohio State and seven seasons in the NFL, all with the Cincinnati Bengals.

At Ohio State, Griffin rushed for 5,589 yards on 924 carries from 1972-75, and had 6,559 allpurpose yards and 26 total touchdowns. He was fourth in Heisman Trophy voting as a sophomore in 1973 before winning the award in 1974 and again in 1975. He graduated in 1976 with a degree in industrial relations.

All of that came after Griffin fumbled on his first carry at Ohio State, in a 21-0 win over Iowa on Sept. 16, 1972. That also was the first year in which freshmen were allowed to play, thanks to an NCAA rule change.

Griffin played for the Bengals from 1976-82, including in the 1982 Super Bowl, where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 26-21. He was a dual threat throughout his professional career, rushing for 2,808 yards and seven touchdowns while catching 192 passes for 1,607 yards and six scores. He hung up his cleats in 1985 after a short stint with the Jacksonville Bulls of the United States Football League.

Winning the Heisman Trophy hardly was Griffin’s only distinction as a Buckeye. He was named the Big 10’s Most Valuable Player in 1973, and in 1974 and 1975 was named United Press International Player of the Year as well as the Walter Camp Foundation’s top player. He won the Maxwell Award as a senior in 1975 and also was named Sporting News’ Man of the Year.

Griffin was inducted into the Varsity O Hall of Fame in 1981 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986. Eastmoor, now known as Eastmoor Academy, plays its home games at Archie Griffin Field.

After football came a life devoted not only to Ohio State, but also his wife, Bonita, and sons Anthony, Andre and Adam.

According to a 2009 story in The Columbus Dispatch, Griffin worked off-seasons in the personnel department of the Shoe Corp. of America while he played for the Bengals. Woody Hayes reportedly “pulled some strings” to get

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

FILE/BARBARA J. PERENIC, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Griffin a job at Ohio State.

Griffin started in the university’s Office of Personnel Services in 1983 as assistant director of staff and employment. In 1985, he was named special assistant to athletics director Rick Bay, followed two years later by a promotion to assistant director of athletics. In 1994, Griffin became associate athletic director in charge of football and about 15 other sports until Jan. 1, 2004, when he took over the alumni association.

“I didn’t know this would be where I was going to be,” Griffin says. “I was approached by the search firm that was looking for the next presidency here. Dan Heinlen had been here for over 30 years as the president and CEO. I thought they were calling me to get my thoughts on the type of person that should be the next leader. I talked with them about that, and a couple weeks later they asked me if I’d be interested.”

Griffin talked to his wife and also to Rex Kern, the quarterback who led the Buckeyes to the 1968 National Championship. “He’s said that’s a job that would really fit me,” Griffin recalls. And the rest is history.

Moving On Today, the alumni association helps connect more than 500,000 graduates worldwide with OSU. All alumni are considered members, though membership tiers recognize different levels of donor support.

Griffin doesn’t hesitate when asked about his biggest accomplishment with the organization.

“Making the transition from an independent organization into going in with the university,” he says. “When I got this job, we were totally independent from the university. Now, we are a part of the university. That was a big move from a membership standpoint. Most associations in the Big Ten were membership-based. We were. Now, we are an all-inclusive alumni association.”

Around the time Griffin turned 60, on Aug. 21, 2014, he knew the time had come to take on a different challenge. “If you are in a position for a certain number of years and you feel like you have made your mark, then it is time to go on to something else and let other people come up and leave their mark on the organization,” he says. “I am at that time right now.”

FILE/ADAM CAIRNS, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The Office of Advancement is split into communications, engagement and fundraising departments. The alumni association is the engagement arm of the organization, whose goal is to provide students, faculty, alumni and supporters opportunities to improve the university and make an impact on its future. Griffin will work on fundraising, among other activities.

“I am thrilled that Archie will continue his legacy of leadership at Ohio State while having the flexibility to spend more time with his loving family,” OSU President Dr. Michael Drake said in a statement announcing Griffin’s transition. “He has been a tireless champion of the university, and I am grateful that he will continue to serve in such an important way.”

As of early July, Ohio State had not yet hired a replacement for Griffin.

Griffin may be Ohio State’s most beloved player, but he doesn’t limit himself to all things scarlet and gray. He created the Archie Griffin Scholarship Fund to benefit OSU’s non-revenue programs and is the spokesman for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Program. He also is a member of the board of directors of Motorists Mutual Insurance Co. and its corporate spokesman as well as a director of New-Albany based retailer Abercrombie & Fitch. Other organizations whose boards he sits on include the Columbus Youth Foundation, the Greater Columbus Sports Commission and the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.

He also is a former part-owner of the Dayton Dragons, a minor-league team in the Cincinnati Reds organization, through an investment in Mandalay Baseball Properties. NBA player Magic Johnson also was an investor in the company.

Steady Spotlight Given the popularity of Ohio State football in both central Ohio and beyond, Griffin rarely goes somewhere he isn’t recognized. The requests for autographs and photos are frequent, and Griffin accommodates them with grace rarely seen among such public figures. He long ago learned how to cope with it, though he doesn’t consider it coping.

RYAN M.L. YOUNG

“I really look at it as being very fortunate,” Griffin says. “I will tell you, I have been away from the game of football at Ohio State for almost 40 years. … I am just thankful that people remember me. That’s the approach I take. I don’t let it bother me. That’s what my life has been like.

I try to enjoy the moment and be thankful.

“People say wherever you go, you will find Ohio State people, and they are right. Wherever you go, you will find Ohio State people. I have traveled the world and always found that to be true.”

Griffin doesn’t let his celebrity status stop him from participating in activities, whether it’s going out to eat or working a shift in the concession stand during a high school game.

That’s the kind of thing that stands out to Ryan Wiggins, who coached Griffin’s youngest son, Adam, from 2007-09 at St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus. Ask Wiggins about his memories of Griffin as a player’s parent and he chuckles.

“To be honest, I really never dealt with him at all, and I mean that as a compliment,” says Wiggins, who first met Griffin when Adam was in the eighth grade and considering attending DeSales. “I never really noticed Archie, and I mean that as a compliment, too. He was just like anyone else. He would work in the concession stand like the other parents.

“He is a regular, average guy, and if you didn’t know all of his history and all of his accomplishments, if you knew him just as a parent, he is like any other dad. He just sort of blended in.”

Adam was a three-year starter for the Stallions, for whom he played running back and defensive back in addition to returning kicks and punts.

DeSales was 36-6 during that time, including winning two regional championships and advancing to the Division III state final in 2009, losing 35-7 to Youngstown Cardinal Mooney.

Mid-American Conference and Division I-AA schools recruited Adam Griffin after he rushed for 772 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior for the state runners-up, and he received offers from Air Force, Eastern Illinois and Navy. But when a few Ohio State verbal commitments changed their minds before signing national

LEFT: Griffin hands Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones (12) the MVP trophy after the team’s 59-0 win over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2014.

RIGHT: Griffin’s Heisman trophies are on display on campus in the Ohio Union, where a ballroom is named for him, and at the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill at Grandview Yard. The university also has copies of the trophies, two of which are part of a public Heisman display in the Les Wexner Football Complex. The one seen here is part of an awards display in a limited-access hall.

Westerville365 | Summer 2015

15

letters of intent in the winter of 2010, a spot opened for Griffin, and he ended up at the only school he truly wanted to attend, in the shadow of a man he always admired.

Adam Griffin played cornerback for three years before a shoulder injury ended his career after the Buckeyes’ 12-0 season in 2012. Along the way, he earned the nickname “Young Arch,” a nod to his father’s omnipresent legacy.

“Christian Bryant started calling me that,” Adam Griffin says of his onetime teammate in OSU’s defensive backfield.

“I thought it was funny, and I never thought it would stick. But even the coaches started calling me that. I love it.”

Time to Unwind Just as Ohio State has changed in myriad ways since Griffin’s arrival on campus 43 years ago, parts of Genoa Township and Westerville are barely recognizable from when the Griffins moved here in 1994.

The Delaware County portion of the Westerville City School District, where Griffin lives, was barely populated then.

Polaris Amphitheater hosted its first concert June 15 of that year, but Polaris Fashion Place would not open until 2001.

Among the few constants that stand out to Griffin are his beloved Lakes Golf

FILE/FRED SQUILLANTE, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Griffin wipes a tear during a halftime ceremony at Ohio Stadium in October 1999 in which his jersey number, 45, was retired. and Country Club, which opened five years before his move nearby, and the Shell gas station off Polaris Parkway just east of Interstate 71. “It’s a great city,” he says. “You can go downtown and have a good meal. There are a lot of good things to do there.”

Griffin enjoys dining out at local restaurants, quickly naming Polaris Grill and Eddie Merlot’s as favorites before delving into one particular culinary passion. “I love fried pickles,

and there are a few places right there in Westerville where you can get them really good,” he says with a wide smile.

“Certainly the Rusty Bucket, but also Old Bag of Nails.”

As Griffin scales back his workload, he wants to spend more time with Bonita as well as Anthony, who works at a casino in Cleveland; Andre, who coaches running backs and wide receivers at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan; and Adam, who shortly after graduating from Ohio State in May got a full-time job as a financial planner with Fidelity Investments in Columbus, where he interned in college.

Griffin was the commencement speaker at Adam’s graduation.

Of course, Griffin still will be on campus and wherever else Ohio State needs or wants him, including in the locker room talking to the football team before its games, as he has done for years.

His golf game might be further sharpened, too.

“I look back at my life,” Griffin says, “and it’s been absolutely terrific.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Dave Purpura is a sportswriter for ThisWeek Community News.

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Educators offer advice about heading back to class, for first-timers and older students alike.

By Jennifer Noblit • Photos by Joshua A. Bickel Jessica Williams will send her youngest daughter, Violet, 5, to kindergarten at Huber Ridge Elementary School this year.

C “It’s hard sending kids off to school on the first day. It’s a small step of them spreading their wings and growing. Be positive and if you have any first-day jitters, talk to the teacher about it.”

Kathy Norris St. Paul School principal

18

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

hildren will soon have to exchange bathing suits for backpacks as the Westerville City School District starts the 2015-16 school year Aug. 13.

With a new year approaching, shopping for school clothes, pencils, books, backpacks and other supplies is on parents’ to-do lists as they prepare their children for nine months of learning. It’s also time to meet new teachers, tour the school and check class rosters for familiar names.

Trading lazy summer days by the pool for a full schedule of learning may elicit whines from your youngster. But take heart: The first day of school may be more anxietyinducing for you than your child, especially for first-timers.

First-day Jitters It may be difficult to say farewell on the first day of school, but St. Paul School Principal Kathy Norris says parents are usually more nervous than children.

Kindergarten coincides with the perfect age to soak up knowledge and start letting children experience some independence.

“It’s hard sending kids off to school on the first day,” Norris says.

“It’s a small step of them spreading their wings and growing. Be positive and if you have any first-day jitters, talk to the teacher about it. Stay excited about it.”

St. Paul students head back to class Aug. 26.

For kindergartners, getting familiar with the new place they’ll be spending their days is an important step to easing into the

school year, says Barbara Wallace, Westerville’s executive director of elementary academic affairs.

“It’s important that a parent drive their child by the school to see the school,” she says, adding that parents also should take advantage of open houses. “Get them as exposed to it as you can. Talk to them about what the day will be like.”

Jessica Williams will send her daughter Violet, the youngest of three girls, to Huber Ridge Elementary School this fall. She says Violet seeing her older sisters in school has helped prepare her.

“We spend a lot of time over the summer just talking about the fun things that they’re going to have an opportunity to do,” Williams says.

When Williams’ first child, Charlotte, was getting ready for kindergarten four years ago, a home visit from the teacher really helped, she says.

“I didn’t understand the value of that until they were in our house and my 5-year-old was talking to them,” Williams says. “They showed her pictures of what they do every year with students and give them supplies. I think it was just a pencil, but it feeds that excitement.”

Huber Ridge also offers a chance for students to go into the school and meet their teachers in the days leading up to the new school year, says Principal Chris Blados.

“We invite just the kindergarten parents in and the two kindergarten teachers meet with them, explain expectations like how to pick up and drop off their child,” he says.

The district’s transportation department also has a first-time rider program that allows students to see a bus up close, meet a driver and take a ride with parents, says Greg Viebranz, executive director of communication and technology.

As for preparing students academically for kindergarten, Wallace recommends making education a part of their routine by reading signs to children when at the store and counting objects they see every day.

“The more they know their numbers and letter sounds, the easier it is for us,” Blados says. “They should know what the day will be like, how to listen and get along with others.”

Central Ohio offers many educational opportunities for children before they enter school, Norris says, and a fun day at the zoo can double as a learning experience.

“Children are like sponges at that age so they are soaking up everything around them,” she says. “Expose them to a wealth of experience and keep them socially engaged with other children. For the most part, our children come to us more prepared than ever because of all the opportunities kids have today.”

Kindergartners will come home with a headful of knowledge, learning to count and doing some basic addition and subtraction, Wallace says.

Writing and reading also will be on the syllabus, along with lots of social interaction.

“They’re going to learn to write more than just their name,” Norris says. “They’ll learn to make sentences and learn to express themselves in writing and orally as well. They’ll learn to read.”

Full-day Learning The Westerville City School District will offer full-day kindergarten for the first time this fall to 260 children. Applications exceeded the spots available in the tuition-based program, so a lottery was used to choose the inaugural class.

Full-day kindergarten follows the district’s strategic plan and came about this year both because it was financially feasible and classroom space was available, Wallace says.

There won’t be many differences between the full- and half-day classes, district officials say.

Both will offer the same curriculum. Full-day students will mainly get longer lessons, Wallace says. “It enables you to make the day work better for the teachers and the kids,” she says. “You have more time to teach a concept in different ways.”

Students in the full-day program will get more related arts programs, Wallace says.

“They won’t be accelerated,” Viebranz says of the full-day students. “The teachers will have more time to delve in-depth.”

St. Paul also offers full-day kindergarten, and Norris says the program has a waiting list. The change from half-day that occurred three years ago has proven positive for students and the school, she says.

“When we went from half-day to full-day, we were concerned to make sure the kids weren’t overwhelmed, but they have adjusted beautifully,” Norris says. “We’ve seen an improvement in the first-grade kids. They are more advanced when they get to the first grade. It’s been a very good thing.”

With high demand for full-day kindergarten, Wallace says an expansion of Westerville’s program is possible. “Next year we hope to extend that,” she says. “There are typically 900 kids in kindergarten.”

“The more they know their numbers and letter sounds, the easier it is for us. They should know what the day will be like, how to listen and get along with others.”

Chris Blados Huber Ridge Elementary School principal

Helping Hands Getting a child ready for classroom learning doesn’t stop when they enter kindergarten.

The Westerville school district offers several programs for students who are struggling academically or socially.

Teachers spend significant amounts of time with students, and school officials say they are on the front line when it comes to spotting issues, both in class and emotionally.

“Teachers play a direct role in creating relationships,” says Scott Reeves, Westerville’s executive director of secondary academic affairs.

Participating in clubs and sports also gives students a chance to build relationships with teachers and coaches who may be a good influence while showing how to set goals and meet them, Reeves adds.

Guidance counselors are available to help students through problems, but Viebranz says the district encourages all employees—whether they are bus drivers, teachers or custodians—to lend an ear when a student is in trouble.

“We work hard to explain that no matter the role you play in the district, you play a critical role in their development,” he says.

Guidance counselors are particularly helpful at the middle school level when children are Westerville365 | Summer 2015

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Parents can check out Early Literacy Kits from the Westerville Public Library for children up to age 5. Each focuses on a different theme such as counting and numbers (shown), the alphabet, colors and shapes.

“There’s a metamorphosis through middle school.

They’re going from kids to young adults.

There are a lot of challenges.”

Scott Reeves executive director of secondary academic affairs for the Westerville City School District

20

going through a lot of changes. “There’s a metamorphosis through middle school,” Reeves says. “They’re going from kids to young adults.

There are a lot of challenges.”

For parents who are concerned a child may need extra help or is having issues, Reeves recommends talking to his or her teacher first, whether the problem is social or academic.

While diagnostic tests can point out an academic problem, parents and teachers spend their days with students and will know if something is wrong. “It’s a two-way street,” Reeves says.

At the elementary level, students who need a little extra help can get it through classroom intervention on an individual or small group basis, Wallace says. “We have intervention for a few months to see if the child responds,” she says.

Academically, middle school students are offered math- and reading-plus support programs.

“If you can’t read, you’re not going to be able to do social studies,” Reeves says. “Without math, you can’t do some science.”

At the high school level, help is available through efforts such as math labs and strategic reading.

The district does point students to tutors if necessary, but Reeves says teachers are happy to help students outside of class, whether it’s after school or during lunch.

The district also uses the PowerSchool online application to keep track of students and any help they receive, so they don’t start at square one at the beginning of each school year. There also are opportunities for students who excel in science, technology, engineering and math.

At the elementary level, students who do well

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

in the STEM subjects are clustered and offered a chance to do additional projects, Wallace says.

Hanby Elementary School also offers a math and science magnet program.

Westerville was among a group of 15 central Ohio school districts that was awarded a $14.4 million grant from the state’s Straight A Fund to support Innovation Generation, a new program that offers pathways to the growing career fields of health, business/logistics and advanced manufacturing that can start as early as middle school, Reeves says.

As part of the initiative, the district is participating in the MIT Fabrication Laboratories, better known as Fab Labs, that offer students a chance to work with 3-D printers, robots and other advanced manufacturing equipment.

Library Lessons The Westerville Public Library offers students more than just books. Getting a library card is the first step to accessing reading materials, tutoring and many more educational services, says Linda Uhler, the library’s manager of youth services.

Early Literacy Kits are available for checkout to get children interested in reading at a young age. The kits include books, songs, toys and activities for babies and children up to age 5.

Reading with a child is an important step toward creating a lifelong reader, but another key is to lead by example, Uhler says.

“The best thing to encourage your child to read is to be a reader yourself and set an example that you enjoy reading,” she says. “It’s important for parents to be seen reading and have reading materials around the house.”

For parents who have tried to get their child interested in books to no avail, there

“It’s important that a parent drive their child by the school to see the school. Get them as exposed to it as you can.

Talk to them about what the day will be like.”

Barbara Wallace executive director of elementary academic affairs for the Westerville City School District

are other options. Librarians can help pick out reading material that doesn’t necessarily have to be a book, Uhler says.

“Every day, reader’s advisory is one of the biggest services we provide,” she says.

Librarians can point out books for each age level and help find ones that relate to a child’s interests.

“If they don’t like to read, find out why,” Uhler says. “Find a connecting point. Of course we encourage parents to bring their children into the library and we can help them find age-level books.”

Through Library Link, the Westerville Public Library offers services at local schools. The program, which lets students request books and then delivers them to the school, has sent 165,000 library materials out since it was established more than a decade ago.

Aside from checking out books and researching reports, students have another resource at the library. The Homework Help Center, open to all grade levels, offers assistance on an assignment, paper or project. Volunteers, some of them retired teachers, man the center from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday throughout the school year.

“It’s very busy, especially through testing time,” Uhler says. “There’s anywhere from eight to 28 kids in there a day when it’s open.”

For more information about library resources for children, go to westervillelibrary.org/kids and westervillelibrary.org/teens.

Jennifer Noblit is a reporter for ThisWeek Community News.

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21

Building Business

Boomtown

After the recession put economic developm a resurgence has taken hold in Weste

By Andrew King | PhOTOS BY LORRIE CECIL

22

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

Building Business

town

ment on a diet, erville.

The upcoming Westar Place, on the south side of Polaris Parkway between Cleveland Avenue and Africa Road, includes 62 acres that will be anchored by a Marriott Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center. The area around Polaris Parkway is a hotbed of development activity.

I

n the midst of the country’s recession in the late 2000s, development hit a lull in Westerville.

The city had seen huge growth in the late 1990s and early turn of the century after the annexation of 941 acres of land from Blendon, Sharon, Orange and Genoa townships that connected Westerville with Polaris and Interstate 71. The acquisition expanded the city’s tax base and growth opportunities and brought an influx of development.

But when the Great Recession hit and growth slowed, the development landscape began to change. Speculative offices built to house large companies suddenly couldn’t find tenants.

Westerville City Council Chairman Craig Treneff has been on council since 2004, and saw the pre- and post-recession eras. “It ranged through really the last couple of years. It just took the economy a long time to absorb the office oversupply; I don’t know that it’s entirely absorbed it yet,” Treneff says.

“That’s why there’s still a relatively limited amount of speculative office space being built.

The Daimler building is about the only current example of true speculative space going online because there’s just a limited number of large users right now and the use patterns are changing. Employers in more respects are getting more employees in spaces than they used to.”

So the city had to change its priorities. Once focused on single-family homes, traditional office buildings and retail, officials realized adaptation was crucial. Even today, retail development is relatively slow—in Westerville and elsewhere, including downtown Columbus.

“We’re not seeing a great deal of retail development either, because it’s widely thought that there’s an excess of retail space in central Ohio,” Treneff says. “Not too long ago, City Center was probably the nicest, most upscale mall between New York and Chicago. It’s a park now.”

Only a few years removed from the recession, Westerville has positioned itself as a destination for development once again, thanks to a new direction and a new series of projects. Within the next year, several large-scale operations will bring new tax funding to the city and new living and working options to its residents.

Real estate developer Casto is embarking on a nearly 78-acre mixed-use plan called the Village at Central College, at Central College and Sunbury roads, though few details have been made public.

N.P. Limited Partnership will bring a Volkswagen dealership to a 7-acre site at the northeast corner of Polaris Parkway and Worthington Road that will act as a gateway to those entering the city from the west. No project cost has been announced.

M/I Homes is turning the recently annexed Bigham property into a 73-acre single-family development off Hanawalt Road. Several Westerville365 | Summer 2015

23

Building Business

“Location, location, location.

I know you hear that a lot, but it’s really true. It’s location and the availability of where it is.”

Janet Tressler-Davis Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO

24

Courtesy OhioHealth

OhioHealth opened its Westerville Medical Campus in 2009. ideas for multifamily housing, including unique townhomes and clusters of high-value condominiums, are in the works to attract millennials and young professionals.

The crown jewel of the forthcoming developments, an eight-story, 224-room Marriott Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center, will anchor the 62-acre Westar Place, on the south side of Polaris Parkway between Cleveland Avenue and Africa Road. The hotel aims to attract large office tenants looking for space and a location for conferences nearby.

City Council approved the purchase of the tract from Jerome Solove in June 2013, but the deal wasn’t finalized until mid-2014. Council approved issuing nearly $17 million in bonds to pay Solove $6.8 million for the land and $10 million to reimburse payments made to a Tax Increment Financing district, which will fund infrastructure improvements within the parcel.

For Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Janet Tressler-Davis, the city offers what businesses are looking for.

“Location, location, location. I know you hear that a lot, but it’s really true. It’s location and the availability of where it is,” Tressler-Davis says. “It’s the physical proximity to freeways, the airport, downtown Columbus as well as the upkeep of the area. I think our city services are second to none; we’re very fortunate. And we have access to a workforce. That’s very important.”

As central Ohio continues to grow, space is at a premium. Many communities have no room to expand or add land via annexation. Westerville, however, has multiple large tracts of land to develop, as well as opportunities for continued

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

growth in the office space market. Tressler-Davis says the sheer amount of room can be a game changer.

“From the development aspect, we offer a variety of space availability,” she says. “Whether you need large storage space or warehouse and office together, we have offices of all sizes, from hundreds of square feet to thousands. We’re one of the only places fortunate in the central Ohio area to still have land that we’re developing. It’s zoned, but we’re still developing it. We have new office buildings that are yet to be constructed.

We’re blessed with multiple types of health care and some of the top health-care providers in the state right here in the community, and we have a great school system.”

Health Care and Hospitality When it comes to attracting businesses, Westerville’s health community has had a huge impact. The “Medical Mile” along Cleveland Avenue includes facilities from Mount Carmel Health System, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and OhioHealth.

In mid-June, Mount Carmel Health System and Alabama-based HealthSouth announced plans to open a 60-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital near the southwest corner of Cleveland Avenue and Polaris Parkway. Groundbreaking is expected this year, with an opening date targeted in January 2017.

Jason Theadore, interim president of OhioHealth Neighborhood Care, says the company’s Westerville presence has been even more of a success than anticipated, and that OhioHealth strives to be “a part of the Westerville community.” He says more than 2,000 people

The Daimler Group is seeking tenants for its new office building on the north side of Polaris Parkway between Cleveland Avenue and Africa Road. walk through the doors of the healthcare provider’s various offices each day, including the Westerville Medical Campus at Africa and Polaris.

“Our medical campus has exceeded our expectations,” Theadore says.

“We’re very intentional when we go into communities of what could be next based on the analysis of the needs of the communities. We had the next stages planned for us already, and they happened quicker than we anticipated.

That’s based primarily on the community itself.”

Tressler-Davis cites the Medical Mile as one of the major draws for Westerville, and says the abundant health-care options can help retain companies and people once they’re in the city.

“You can’t duplicate that in any other suburb community right now,” she says.

“We’re very fortunate to have that. If you need something done in the health-care area, you can certainly get it done here in Westerville. ... So that’s been nothing but positive. And that spurs growth. If you have bigger institutions like that, they’re going to have companies that serve them or health-care providers that work for them who will stay in the area or open offices in the area.”

Aiding in the effort to draw more businesses is the new hotel, which senior planner Bassem Bitar and other city officials say will be a linchpin for economic development.

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For more information on how you can get involved contact: Claire Rockwell, Coordinator of Kids Lunch Club: claire@warmwesterville.org, 614.899.0196 ext. 218.

Next issue Westerville365 will preview the holiday season in our fall edition, including a Holiday Gift Guide.

Our Building Business feature will focus on Polaris area businesses.

Space close: Tuesday, Sept. 15 Materials close: Tuesday, Sept. 22 Delivered: Sunday, Oct. 25

Call (614) 583-5793 for advertising information and submit your events at Westerville365.com 26

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

“In my experience, city representatives have been welcoming to any business, regardless of size, that will bring long-term value to the city and to the community as a whole.”

Doug Winbigler Amish Originals owner

“We have a lot of companies that do international-scale business or at least national business,” he says. “Also there’s the convention component of that facility, and that’s something that’s really missing in Westerville. So the combination of the two will certainly help our ability to attract and maintain businesses, especially in that area.”

But large companies and developments aren’t the only economic drivers in Westerville. Uptown is experiencing something of a restaurant boom, with the likes of Koble GreekItalian Grill and Uptown Deli and Brew recently open and 8 State Bistro, Northstar Café and Whit’s Frozen Custard on the way.

Doug Winbigler owns Amish Originals, a furniture store that has existed since the early ’90s in Uptown.

His business has had to adapt to the changing times, which made way for an entirely new district. “Uptown was an antique shopper’s paradise,” he says.

“Very few of those businesses remain in Uptown today.”

At one point, the store operated four different locations. Now consolidated into one spot at 38 N. State St., Winbigler is taking advantage of the city’s façade improvement programs that allocate funds to give a face-lift to Uptown shops.

Winbigler says while there’s certainly reason for the city to lure larger companies, his business has always been treated well and officials have “demonstrated a strong commitment to the future vitality of Uptown.”

“City leaders are commissioned with the difficult task of planning years, even decades, into the future,” he says. “In my experience, city representatives have been welcoming to any business, regardless of size, that will bring long-term value to the city and to the community as a whole.”

Building Business

An architect’s rendering shows the Kuhn Volkswagen of Westerville dealership, which is coming to the northeast corner of Polaris Parkway and Worthington Road.

Courtesy 12th Street Studio

Planning for the Future Another area where city leaders took an opportunity to boost development is with Westerville’s gateway enhancements. A $20 million investment—much of it grant funding—to improve the city’s south entrance on State Street has seen private owners follow suit, making the area more viable for businesses.

“I firmly believe that the city’s investment in the South State Street corridor is paying off and will continue to pay off,” Treneff says. “The city’s investment in streetscape improvements, roadway improvements, sidewalk improvements and aesthetic improvements, all of those are leading now to increased interest in the corridor.

“There’s also some tangential interest from (neighboring) Blendon Township to improve their part of what’s Westerville Road to the south of 270. ... So you do see kind of a snowball effect once a government agency goes in and puts money into infrastructure.”

To continue the momentum, officials must continue to adapt to the changing landscape.

Bitar says developers are asking different questions now than in the past, and demand for housing and retail alike has evolved.

“The expectations in terms of what the developers have been looking for have changed a little bit,” he says. “I’m sure they’re responding to market demands. But when maybe 10 years ago we were mostly getting office and commercial park developments, now we’re getting a little more into the multifamily and mixed-use and high-density proposals, which are ones we hadn’t necessarily contemplated in previous plans.”

City officials are in the midst of planning for the future. Staff members have been working

with businesses, residents and elected leaders over the past several months to develop a new comprehensive plan—known largely as Imagine Westerville. Through this process, Bitar says, they hope to have an even better grasp on what the community wants Westerville’s future to be.

“I often kid when people ask what planners do that we call ourselves planners, but it’s a lot of reacting to people’s proposals,” he says. “To a large extent, that’s why we’re working on a new comprehensive plan for the city. We did pretty well addressing previous expectations for what the city was going to look like in the past, but with all the changes in demographics and demands, it’s not as easy anymore to see black and white, in terms of the expectations.

“So we’re being more proactive and doing some planning in conjunction with community input, which was something we felt was missing.

It’s great to call ourselves planners and actually do some planning.”

While Theadore says no commitments have been made, OhioHealth could have an even greater local presence in the future. “I can’t speak for other organizations, but because Westerville is such a friendly community and the city is easy to work with, I certainly expect more growth,” he says. “(An expanded OhioHealth presence) is always a possibility.”

Business owners, chamber members, city leaders and residents all are looking forward to what the future may bring.

“It’s an exciting time,” Bitar says.

“I firmly believe that the city’s investment in the South State Street corridor is paying off and will continue to pay off.”

Craig Treneff Westerville City Council chairman

Andrew King is a reporter for ThisWeek Community News.

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Historic Handiwork Small changes have brought big improvements to the way library patrons view and research local lore.

By Steph Greegor • PHOTOS BY LORRIE CECIL The desk of former Anti-Saloon League President Ernest Cherrington figures prominently in this room of the museum.

The light fixture on the ceiling is a re-creation of the one in the picture behind the desk.

T

he quiet space of the newly remodeled AntiSaloon League Museum and Local History Center at the Westerville Public Library is as peaceful as you’d expect. The country blue walls of the history center, a remodeled garage, and the light green hues of the museum, an 1850s home, are inviting and modern.

That’s exactly the impression staffers were going for when they undertook the project.

“It needed a face-lift,” local history coordinator Beth Weinhardt says with a smile. “It hadn’t changed in over 20 years. It was time.”

Not only did the vibrant colors of the 1970s and ’80s no longer work, but the display tables in the middle of the rooms caused congestion when schools toured.

“For schoolchildren and their parents, (Beth) could hardly jam them in that room,” says library marketing coordinator Linda Wilkins, of the 1,700-square-foot area that holds both the museum and history center. The grand re-opening was March 22.

“Folks that were well-acquainted with her collection before the renovation have noted how much more space she has,” Wilkins says.

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Hours for the Anti-Saloon League Museum and Local History Center are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday through Saturday, except for a break from 1-2 p.m. Saturdays. Appointments also are available.

The newly remodeled museum is located at 110 S. State St.

That’s been a huge boon for Weinhardt, who hosts about four school tours per week every May. “We do a lot of school programming,” she says. “We had a vision of opening the space up and kids coming in and sitting in a group to hear about history or watch videos.”

While the Anti-Saloon League Museum focuses on the temperance movement and Westerville’s role in it, the Local History Center includes a broader range of materials related to the city’s cultural, historical and architectural heritage.

Highlights include a collection of more than 5,000 photographs of Westerville, from the 1800s to present day; the John

R. Kasich Congressional Collection; oral histories; and yearbooks.

The clunky display cases in the middle of the rooms, too heavy to change out regularly, were banished, creating more space. New, lighter cases allow Weinhardt and staff to easily change displays. The large displays are changed about once a year; the current theme is a World War II tribute.

One special piece, the desk of former Anti-Saloon League President Ernest Cherrington, has been given its own spot—in front of a large portrait of its owner made in the early 1900s.

Once the space was reworked, the

Below: These pins were among the items used to promote the AntiSaloon League. Right: Among the many historical items in the museum’s collection are a post-Civil War poster and pamphlets from the league that attempt to connect alcohol consumption to insanity. Bottom right: A copy of The Columbus Citizen is part of the World War II exhibit now on display in the history center.

carpet was replaced, the walls painted, and modern equipment added, such as televisions for historical documentaries and updated microfilm machines.

One such documentary, Ken Burns’ Prohibition, includes the Anti-Saloon League and Westerville.

Library Executive Director Don Barlow says the renovation project cost about $26,000. “It was funded through the library’s building fund,” he says. He says each year, if the library comes in under budget, some of that money is transferred to the building fund. Gifts, donations and excess fines and fees also are transferred into that fund.

“Next, we’re looking at a ‘Maker Space,’ ” Barlow says of a proposed area at the library where patrons would, literally, make things. “Perhaps it will have two or three sewing machines, 3-D printers and scanners to develop a prototype or a hard copy of something else.”

Barlow says a task force is working on preliminary estimates, partners and a plan. He says it will be ready to present to the public in about six months. The board of trustees will have to approve the changes. “We’re looking at some other things as well that are really engaging for the community,” he says.

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“The beauty of technology is we can make color copies and people can handle them. People can pick up history and have a physical thing in their hand.”

Beth Weinhardt Westerville Public Library local history coordinator

Digital History All of the improvements are part and parcel to the way libraries and history, in particular, are being consumed by patrons these days, says Weinhardt, who has been tasked with keeping up with changing technologies and consumer trends in her 22 years at the library.

“One way it’s changed is that patrons used to physically walk in to get photos, now it’s all online,” she says. “The other big change, for those doing genealogy research, is we have been working for about five years to digitize all of the obituaries and wedding announcements from the local newspaper.”

Weinhardt says they started with 1888 and now, after five years, are up to the 1950s. “It’s feasible someone can now go on our website and find all the information they need about their greatgrandfather or grandmother or some other family member,” she says. “Before, they would have to come in and look at the microfilm.”

Despite all the digitized history patrons can find online, Weinhardt says people still come in to see history up close and personal. And the remodel allows for an improved experience. Take the new color printer that allows staffers to print large display case backings and print pieces for handling.

“We are more thoroughly telling (history) stories through the new exhibits than was done before,” Weinhardt says. “The beauty of technology is we can make color copies and 30

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

people can handle them. People can pick up history and have a physical thing in their hand.

“People are spending more time (in the museum). It’s more engaging.”

Being able to display or digitize any one of the 300,000 items in the collection is key to keeping history alive. “We’re getting more and more donations because we have this space to store and display them,” Barlow says.

The library also has a second floor with fire and police historical items, though it’s not open to the public, except by guided tour with a staff member. “We either take (the donation), turn it away, or we might contact the Ohio Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection) to take it.”

The renovation has another added benefit.

“When you have a makeover, you catch the eye of individuals who had not realized what a treasure it is for our community,” Wilkins says.

Speaking of treasures, Weinhardt herself may be the best one the library has. Those who know her say her knowledge of all things historical in Westerville and her love of finding ways to make it accessible are a benefit for the entire community.

“I’ve seen it grow and change a lot,” she says with a smile. “We’re trying to make it easier for people.”

Steph Greegor is a freelance writer.

“We’re looking at some other things as well that are really engaging for the community.”

Don Barlow Westerville Public Library executive director

Lenny Leibowitz at Otterbein University

Taking the Stage Otterbein’s new theater director has drawn rave reviews since leaving the Big Apple for Westerville.

By Jennifer Noblit • Photos BY CHRIS PARKER

E

nergetic is a word often paired with Otterbein University theater director Lenny Leibowitz.

After 10 years in New York City raising money and directing shows, Leibowitz brought his verve to Westerville, where he finally has a little time to relax.

The move hasn’t been too big an adjustment. He misses the variety of restaurants found in each block of New York, but has been pleased with the Westerville food scene so far. He certainly doesn’t miss the exorbitant rent rates and enjoys having time to reach his goal of seeing eight movies each week.

“I love living in Westerville,” he says.

“The food is really good. I have to be careful. I’m not walking all the time so I have to think thin.”

So far, Otterbein likewise is loving Leibowitz, who quickly rose to the top of 65 applicants for the theater director position. Otterbein Department of Theatre and Dance Chairman John Stefano employs words such as “brilliant” and “amazing” when discussing him, and calls Leibowitz’s spring production of Into the Woods among the most beautiful productions done on the Fritsche Stage.

Leibowitz started at Otterbein in August 2014 after a year-long national search to replace Ed Vaughan, who retired in spring 2013. In addition to directing, he teaches senior showcase, musical theater studio courses, American musical theater history, and acting, voice, speech and movement.

“He’s been a terrific fit,” Stefano says.

“We sensed it from the paperwork, but as soon as we interviewed him on Skype we thought he was perfect. He’s one of three new people we’ve brought on faculty this year in the department. It’s like a whole new workplace.”

A Philadelphia native, Leibowitz received his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in 1994 and his master of fine arts from Boston University in 2006. The 45-year-old discovered his love of theater in college and did some acting before moving on to directing, where he feels much more comfortable.

He recalls his first acting role, playing the part of the jester Trinculo in The Tempest, and says any laughs he got were probably not the kind he wanted.

“The world is a much better place with me in small parts,” he says.

Leibowitz spent time teaching at Boston University and Southern Indiana University before taking on artistic director duties and starting Marvell Repertory Theatre in 2010 in New Westerville365 | Summer 2015

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Lenny Leibowitz works with Alex Armesto and Aubreey Tally during a rehearsal in late May.

“He’s been a terrific fit. We sensed it from the paperwork, but as soon as we interviewed him on Skype we thought he was perfect.”

John Stefano Otterbein Department of Theatre and Dance chairMAN

“He put so much trust in us.

He made an environment of collaboration and excitement in the room, and because of that everyone is pushed to a new level they didn’t know they could reach.”

Erin Ulman Otterbein University senior

“He’s definitely a walking encyclopedia.

Even beyond all that technical information, as a human being, he has a wonderful spirit and is a really awesome person.”

Erin Stewart actress 32

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

York, where he’s lived for the past decade. Marvell bills itself as New York’s only off-Broadway company devoted exclusively to producing new and enduring works in rotating repertory.

“Being an artistic director is very exhausting,” he says. “So much of the life is devoted to fundraising, and that grind was quite exhausting and I was longing to return to the classroom where I could focus on the art of theater. That combined with Otterbein felt like serendipity to me.

“One of the challenges was adjusting to the model and pace of the academic model,” Leibowitz says. “As exhausting as the constant hustle was of raising $400,000 and renting out six rooms and being responsible for that and producing shows off-Broadway, that kind of hustle is not only exhausting but very, very fulfilling. Adjusting to a more focused model has been a challenge for somebody who has been on the run-like marathon for a decade.”

But Leibowitz has found living in Westerville has its advantages.

Along with affordable housing,

teaching at Otterbein has allowed him to enjoy some time alone, an activity rarely found in New York.

“Another thing is you can afford, quite literally, to take time to think or treat yourself to a little bit of R and R, to do laundry in your own apartment,” he says. “It sounds like a small creature comfort, but it adds up to quality of life.”

Classroom Collaboration Some of the things Leibowitz loves about New York can be found in Westerville. In such a big city where people are struggling, Leibowitz says everyone is on their toes and trying to be their best every day.

“Complacency exists everywhere, but you find it least where people are always struggling to make ends meet and be the very finest artists of themselves at all times,” he says.

He found people striving to be their best here, too. “That quality is what I love about Otterbein students and staff,” he says.

Even before taking his latest job, Leibowitz worked with Otterbein graduates on shows in New York and found them to be adventurous and uninhibited on the

stage. Working with such actors allows productions that are collaborative and creative, he says.

Rather than treating his young actors as students, Leibowitz seeks to treat them the same way he treats Broadway veterans. He tells students there’s no reason their production can’t compare to one on the Great White Way. “He’s so willing to be open and collaborate,” says Otterbein senior Erin Ulman, a musical theater major. “He put me at ease and helped me be more imaginative. It wasn’t just somebody telling me where I need to stand on stage and move. It felt very natural and collaborative. He put so much trust in us. He made an environment of collaboration and excitement in the room, and because of that everyone is pushed to a new level they didn’t know they could reach.”

Actress Erin Stewart, who worked with Leibowitz on Guys and Dolls at New Harmony Theater in Indiana, recalls a similar experience. “He puts you at ease and makes you feel so relaxed and makes a talent of bringing out the best in you,” she says.

“It’s a very organic process, the way he works.”

Along with Leibowitz’s skill as a director, he has a reputation as a gifted pianist and played with the Philadelphia Symphony as a child. He’s also a font of pop culture knowledge. Ulman says Leibowitz amazed students in the classroom with his extensive knowledge of movies, songs and books, even rapping a song one day.

“It’s all kind of just here,” Stefano says of Leibowitz’s pop culture prowess.

“There isn’t any ego about it. He’s not showing off. He tries to use it to get kids interested.”

“He’s definitely a walking encyclopedia,” Stewart says. “Even beyond all that technical information, as a human being, he has a wonderful spirit and is a really awesome person.”

Considering Leibowitz’s energy and knowledge, Stefano likens him to Yoda from Star Wars, and means it as a compliment. He talks about how Leibowitz supported himself in college by working as an accompanist. He’s also seen the way the director is with Otterbein’s budding actors: supportive but not afraid to offer advice.

“In Jewish parlance, he’s a mensch,” Stefano says. “If there was a musical, it would be Lenny with an exclamation point. Like Mame! or Oklahoma!”

Grace Evangelical Lutheran… reaching out with the love of Jesus to grow disciples and serve our community… welcome to worship with us on Sunday mornings. Listen to messages founded in faith that proclaim challenge and hope for the future. Sing, pray, celebrate with families of all sizes, learn what it means to serve others in a hurting world, and at the heart of it all, praise God!

Sunday Worship Services 8:15 & 11:00am

home of Little Blessings Preschool

100 E. Schrock Road, Westerville, OH 43081

Jennifer Noblit is a reporter for ThisWeek Community News.

614-882-3026 office@grace43081.org • www.grace43081.org Westerville365 | Summer 2015

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Lasting Legacy

By Andrew King • Photo BY CHRIS PARKER

Twelve years into retirement, Jim McCann keeps busy giving back to the community he loves.

But he’s still a Warrior at heart.

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A

nyone familiar with Westerville North High School is familiar with The Warrior Way. The school’s adopted motto and unofficial moral code, The Warrior Way describes a Warrior as someone who respects himself or herself, fellow students, his or her school, his or her family and his or her community. “Do you live your life The Warrior Way?” it asks.

While those attending Westerville North today were barely alive when the motto’s mastermind walked its halls, they nonetheless see his contributions on a daily basis.

Jim McCann began his education career as a teacher. He went to

Columbus Aquinas, an all-boys Catholic school, before earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Ohio State University. He taught high school government, social studies, psychology, economics and journalism for 12 years at East High School in Columbus.

At that time, his only dream was to continue teaching.

“When I was a teacher, I thought life couldn’t get any better,” McCann says.

“In the classroom, the interaction that takes place is where education really takes place. That’s where you have teachers who are going to make the difference in the lives of students.”

But when Westerville Superintendent Roger Goddard moved across the street from McCann in 1975, he offered

“Anyone who thinks they’re the head of an organization is totally mistaken.

You’re only as strong as the people around you.”

Jim McCann retired Westerville North High School principal FILE

The Westerville North High School stadium was renamed for McCann in October 2001. McCann had served as principal or assistant principal since 1975, when the building opened. At the time of the renaming, he had never missed a football game, home or away, in his years at the school.

“The Warrior Way has become part of the climate and culture of Westerville North for everyone associated with the school, whether it’s students, parents, staff or community members.”

Mark Hershiser assistant superintendent, Westerville City School District

him the position of assistant principal at the brand new Westerville North High School.

After mulling over his options, McCann made the “difficult” decision to leave the classroom and take the administrative role. He never looked back.

He would spend 14 years as assistant principal and another 14 as principal before retiring in 2003.

Though he oversaw the first 28 years of Westerville North’s history and helped implement a variety of lasting policies and programs, McCann doesn’t take credit for his work. Instead, he says, it was a team effort.

“I had the opportunity to interact with some incredible people,” he says. “Some of the people who don’t get enough recognition are the staff.

I had some of the most professionally talented teachers and support people—secretaries, counselors, cafeteria workers—and everyone on that team was a team.

“I saw it as an opportunity to make an impact, if I could, on the lives of other people. But it certainly wasn’t a one-man job. Anyone who thinks they’re the head of an organization is totally mistaken. You’re only as strong as the people around you.”

That mentality is one of McCann’s defining traits. Despite his influence, he’s not one to seek out praise—or the limelight. Longtime Westerville City Council member Mike Heyeck has known McCann for years, and is a fellow lector at St. Paul Catholic church in Westerville.

“He’s one of those people that are behind the scenes volunteering, helping out and not raising his hand and saying, ‘I did that,’ ” Heyeck says. “He’s very modest and very eager to help.”

Community Commitment In retirement, McCann spends nearly as much time volunteering as he did working. He serves as chairman of the Westerville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and has chaired multiple Parks, Recreation and Open Space tax levy campaigns.

The U.S. Army veteran is a member of American Legion Young-Budd Post 171 and serves as chairman of U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi’s Service Academy Selection Board, which chooses nominees for military service academies.

He’s also a member of Westerville Kiwanis and sits on the Westerville Symphony advisory board as well as the boards of Concord Counseling, the Westerville Parks Foundation and his daughter Kelley Haney’s dance company, Leap of Faith.

Family also keeps him busy. McCann has two other children, son Shawn McCann and daughter Molly McCann, and 10 grandchildren. He teaches three of Haney’s children home-school classes in social studies and history.

But McCann, 77, doesn’t just volunteer to stay busy or to keep active. He sees his commitments as responsibilities to a community that he’s been entrenched in for 40 years.

“You have to give back to your community,” he says. “This community gave me a lot. If the community has been good to you, you need to be good to your community. I really feel that’s important. That’s why I looked for things to be involved in.

“There’s a reason Westerville gets selected all the time for being one of the best places to live.

It’s because we have good people running the organizations, and I want to be a part of that. I want to see these things grow and develop. I’ve never been one to sit at home and watch the paint dry.”

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Haney says her father’s mentality from his education background carries over perfectly to his work with Leap of Faith.

“The things he did at Westerville North, like wanting children to be in the spotlight and wanting to recognize the staff, he does that at Leap of Faith,” she says. “He mentors my teachers and sits down with them once a month and just pores over them as leaders. He has that same spotlight theory with our dancers.

That’s something that no one really knows what he does because he does it on the side. It’s amazing to see the things he did as a principal still applied to his daily life.”

That focus on individuals—both students and staff—is something McCann prides himself on. Establishing The Warrior Way in 1991, he says, was his greatest accomplishment at a time when the school needed it.

“It’s a philosophy of how people should live their lives,” he says. “It’s based on the premise of respect. It started when there wasn’t a lot of respect in our school at one time, particularly between different racial groups. A group of students and myself sat down one day and put together this philosophy. The premise was that you have to start out by respecting yourself. You have to respect others around you, your school, your community and your country. And then it ended with the question, ‘Do you live The Warrior Way?’ “I was extremely upset about the way that people treated each other based on their ethnicity, their color, their religion, their size, their shape, their lifestyle. So we put this together and it’s become a tradition in Westerville.”

Despite being implemented nearly 25 years ago, The Warrior Way endures.

Assistant Superintendent Mark Hershiser says it’s become an important part of the community.

“The Warrior Way has become part of the climate and culture of Westerville North for everyone associated with the school, whether it’s students, parents, staff or community members,” he says.

“Students talk about The Warrior Way and what it means to be a Warrior. You can see it through the conversations and things they do if you’re at an event or at the school. At other schools with sayings like The Warrior Way, it’s just kind of mentioned occasionally. At North, it’s something that’s become part of the culture and expectations and how people believe and act as a Westerville North member.”

McCann’s theories on equality might seem radical to some even now.

By establishing the policy nearly 25 years ago, he set a strong precedent for fair treatment in the Westerville City 36

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FILE

McCann waves to the crowd after speaking at his final commencement as principal in June 2003 at Germain Amphitheater.

School District.

“People thought it was a little naïve at first, but I think it’s worked,” McCann says. “I think everyone should be allowed to walk through the halls of that school without apologizing for who they are.

You shouldn’t have to apologize. ... It shouldn’t happen.”

By creating that atmosphere, McCann endeared himself to students and staff alike. For the last six years, he has called girls basketball games at Westerville North—something that started at the invitation of former coach Jim Kloepfer, one of his former students—and he also shows up to many sporting events.

“Everywhere I go, no matter where I am, someone asks, ‘Are you Mr. McCann’s daughter?’ ” Haney says. “They always have a story to tell me about what he did to change their life or their student’s life. It’s always positive. I don’t think many people could say that about a principal.

“Christmas shopping is ridiculous.

We almost have to go two hours away to shop because he knows everyone here and all their names. They’re family to him.”

A Lasting Impact Westerville City Council member Kathy Cocuzzi’s children went to Westerville North while McCann was principal. She was involved with the academic boosters and the pair spent plenty of time together. Her daughter Lizz graduated in McCann’s last class in 2003, and the former principal has been to family weddings and other events.

For Cocuzzi, McCann’s family-like approach to the community is what sets him apart.

“To me, he’s the personification of what Westerville is,” she says. “He lives The Warrior Way and The Westerville Way. They’re not just words or phrases to him. It’s the way he lives his life. You just can’t say enough about him. He’s so

humble and generous; it’s just amazing.”

While McCann doesn’t like to recognize his own work, members of the Westerville community have made it clear they appreciate it.

As a retirement present, the school staff pooled together and sent McCann and his son on a trip to his ancestral home, Ireland. In October 2001, the school dedicated its football stadium to him, renaming it Jim McCann Stadium.

“You don’t go through life thinking those things are going to happen to you,” he says of the moment he found out about the stadium. “It’s not one of those things you start out and want; it’s something you never think of. It was a night to remember.”

Despite his impactful career, McCann still finds ways he could have improved.

He says he loved working with at-risk youth, but wishes he had offered more encouragement to parents.

“One of the things I wish I would have done a better job on was telling parents that they were doing a good job,” he says. “Sometimes parents get blamed when they’re doing the wrong job, but how often do we take the time to say to a parent, ‘Good job’?”

McCann says he learned early in his career that if he was going to be able to focus on the big picture, he’d need to be able to trust those around him.

“If you don’t see the big picture, you won’t know the direction to go to reach that picture,” he says. “There are steps you have to take along the way to attain that picture. If you have a goal in mind, you have to have a plan. ... And you can’t do it alone.

“We had 2,300 students at Westerville North. That’s a small city. If you think you’re going to be able to run that without students and staff being on board, you might as well hang up your hat and leave.”

For a lasting legacy, McCann couldn’t ask for a better way to be remembered than The Warrior Way. A dozen years after McCann ushered his last class into the world, graduating seniors still get a card that bears the motto, with the Irish Blessing on the back. Cocuzzi says many carry it in their wallets years after graduation. McCann sometimes encounters former students who still have it.

“I think that’s the thing that I’m most proud of,” he says. “What it does is that you don’t leave it at the doors when you leave the school; you take it with you. It’s a lifestyle you have. You behave the right way because it’s the right way to behave.”

Andrew King is a reporter for ThisWeek Community News.

Library Notes

Questions keep staffers on their toes

By Linda Wilkins

A

t the Westerville Public Library, questions come in by phone, at the desks and by email.

Often, finding information or a book for a child is similar to a treasure hunt.

The children know what they are talking about, and the librarian is trying to figure it out. So the staff member keeps searching and asking questions.

Here are a few notable exchanges.

Kid: Do you have the book called My Hamster Is Missing?

Librarian: I don’t see that title in our catalog. Do you know the author’s name?

Kid: No. Librarian: Have you seen this book before at school?

Kid: No. Librarian: Well, can you tell me anything about the story?

Kid: Oh ... well, I can’t find my hamster. I thought if I read a book about someone else losing a hamster it might help me find mine.

Child: Do you have books on the holy cross?

Librarian (after much searching in the catalog and retrieving a book from the shelf): Here’s a book that talks about that topic.

Child: Oh, no, I mean that thing that happened in Germany during World War II. Librarian: Ohhhhh, let’s search under the word “holocaust.”

Some conversations are priceless.

Mom to child, looking at catalog: That’s an e-book.

Child: I am way past (reading level) E, mom! I can read at least level F or G! Mom: No, that (decorative and very lifelike) tree is definitely not for climbing.

Preschool daughter (dumbfounded): Why else would it be here?

Librarian, to woman in picture book room: Hi. Can I help you?

Child in play bus: No thanks. We’re just browsing.

Courtesy Westerville Public Library

Youth services librarian Susan Carr sits at the department’s help desk.

During a class visit, when a firstgrader was told he could get a library card and then borrow books, movies and music for free, he asked in amazement: “How do you people make any money?”

The “Ask Here” desk in Adult Services attracts heavy traffic from questioners who stop by, call and send emails to answers@westervillelibrary.org.

The No. 1 question received by Adult Services for the past five years?

Patron: How do I download ebooks to my Kindle (or other specific device)?

Librarian: Bring it in and we’ll help you. Also, we provide step-by-step instruction sheets in print and online, and you can even come to one of our free classes.

Our Outreach staff members receive lots of questions as they deliver library materials to homebound residents or those living in senior citizen apartment complexes, nursing homes or assisted living centers. Many queries are routine, but others are unexpected.

How much do I have to pay to have my books delivered? No fee. It’s a service we provide.

Can you bring me a voter registration form? Yes. I just had surgery. Can I have items

Courtesy Westerville Public Library

Adult services librarian Kaya Burgin fields patron questions at the “Ask Here” desk. delivered to me while I recover? Yes. Can you help me with my tablet?

Smartphone? Laptop? Sure. We’ll make an appointment and come to you.

Senior-living facility director: If I bring our residents into the library, can you give them a tour?

Outreach staffer: Most definitely.

Senior-living resident: While you’re here, can you put the CD in the player for me so I can listen to my book right away?

Outreach staffer: Of course.

Do you conduct exorcisms? (This was a serious question.)

For more Q&A, check out westervillelibrary.org/faq.

LINDA WILKINS is the marketing coordinator at the Westerville Public Library. For more information about library services and programs, go to westervillelibrary.org.

Westerville365 | Summer 2015

37

Healthy Living

ABCs are Key to Safe Sleep

By Dr. Phillip Shubert

T

Bumpers carry a potential risk of suffocation, strangulation or entrapment.

If a baby does happen to roll into a bumper, it can obstruct his or her breathing.

he words “you’re pregnant” can send a soon-to-be new parent’s mind into overdrive with thoughts of car seats, cribs and comforters.

But before filling out a gift registry or stocking the nursery, remember to think about keeping your baby safe, especially while he or she sleeps.

It’s a sobering and devastating statistic: Every week in Ohio, three babies die in unsafe sleep environments. In fact, sleep-related infant deaths are a major reason why Franklin County’s infant mortality rate is higher than the national average.

Everyone can agree that one sleep-related death is too many. It’s important to remember these deaths are preventable if parents follow the ABCs of safe sleep, developed by the Ohio Department of Health: Alone: Babies should always sleep by themselves, even if it’s just for a nap. Parents can share the room, but not the bed.

Back: Babies who sleep on their backs are less likely to choke than those who sleep on their stomachs. They should be on their backs every time they sleep, whether for the night or naps.

Cribs: Empty cribs are the safest. The baby only needs a firm mattress and a fitted sheet.

Babies can suffocate on or be strangled by any additional items in the crib.

While a safe sleep crib may look empty, it’s the best environment for all new additions to the family. It’s important to remember that babies do not have the motor skills or strength to remove anything that could be blocking their mouth or nose.

With this new knowledge, parents should feel free to take some items off the registry. Here are three things that shouldn’t be in a nursery: • Bumpers – Many parents believe their baby won’t be safe without bumper pads, but that is untrue. Bumpers carry a potential risk of suffocation, strangulation or entrapment. If a baby does happen to roll into a bumper, it can obstruct his or her breathing.

• Positioners/wedges – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have officially said parents and caregivers should stop using sleep positioners and wedges. The devices can suffocate babies and cause them to end up in unsafe positions.

Even with these recommendations, positioners are still widely available online and in stores.

Simply place your baby on his or her back in the

crib. Once the baby can roll over onto his or her tummy, it’s OK to leave baby there.

• Thick mattress pads – Babies should be placed in a crib that is approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, with a firm mattress covered by a fitted sheet. Mattress pads should be used primarily to keep “accidents” and any spills from ruining the mattress. A waterproof cover is fine but don’t splurge on dense, plush pads.

Additional Resources All of this can seem very overwhelming, and it’s important for parents to ask questions.

Many hospitals and public health departments, including the Ohio Department of Health and Columbus Public Health, have educational resources available.

One such resource offered by Mount Carmel Health System is the Welcome Home program, which began in 1998 and continues to be the only program of its kind in central Ohio. Welcome Home offers a free, in-home visit from a registered nurse with the goal of creating a bridge as families transition from the hospital to the home.

Welcome Home nurses serve as an important contact during these visits by monitoring physical, psychological and social issues that can interfere with the health and welfare of the mother and child.

The visits are designed to check on the health and wellness of mom and baby and have a large focus on reducing infant mortality. Visits can last for up to two hours while nurses perform newborn assessments including checking weight gain, jaundice, nutrition and respiratory and cardiovascular status. The nurses also perform maternal health assessments that include breastfeeding and psychological support, such as screening for postpartum depression.

In addition, the nurses ask each mother about the baby’s sleeping environment and ensure that she is educated about the ABCs of safe sleep. If the family does not have a safe place for the baby to sleep, Mount Carmel will provide a free Pack ’n Play.

The Welcome Home program is offered to any woman who delivers at a Mount Carmel hospital. Nurses visit both first-time moms and those who are welcoming another baby into the family.

Mothers interested in participating in the Welcome Home program can ask a nurse before they leave the hospital or call 614-546-4227.

Phillip Shubert, M.D. is the system director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Mount Carmel Health System.

38

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

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Outtakes Griffin rides a tricycle in Ohio Stadium on Aug. 8, 2011, as part of “Biking with Brutus,” a children’s event for Team Buckeye, the Pelotonia team affiliated with the university.

FILE/KYLE ROBERTSON, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Ohio State’s four living recipients of the Heisman Trophy gathered June 22, 2010, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, as part of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission’s annual Morning Sports Report. From left are Howard “Hopalong” Cassady (1955 winner), Griffin (1974 and 1975), Eddie George (1995) and Troy Smith (2006). Les Horvath (1944) and Vic Janowicz (1950) also won the trophy at OSU.

FILE/BROOKE LAVALLEY, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Living Legend

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ere’s a look at some more notable Archie Griffin moments past and present. To see more photos, go to Westerville365.com.

Griffin stands with President Barack Obama, who reacts to former Ohio State wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter getting his faced wiped by Director of Athletics Gene Smith (left) during a ceremony for the NCAA College Football Playoff National Champions. The event was held April 20, 2015, in the East Room of the White House.

AP PHOTO/SUSAN WALSH

FILE/ADAM CAIRNS, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Former football players (from left) Mike Doss, Jay Richardson, Griffin and Michael Wiley gather onstage at the Buckeye Bash for the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Dec. 31, 2014.

FILE/KEN CHAMBERLAIN, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH 40

Summer 2015 | Westerville365

Griffin and former Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes share some time at the dinner table Nov. 21, 1983.

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